


my heart is missing some pieces

by firesidebi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, F/M, Minor Aang/Katara, One-Sided Attraction, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, this is based off a dream i had that now lives in my brain rent free
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26925697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firesidebi/pseuds/firesidebi
Summary: “We just wanted to let you know that you’ll be having a visitor within the next hour,” Suki smiled.“A visitor?” Zuko asked. He didn’t remember scheduling anything with anyone for this week, why would there be a visitor?“Oh don’t look all worried,” Ty Lee said. “It’s just that water tribe girl.”———————Or: Katara comes for a visit and Zuko does not know why his heart is beating faster.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	my heart is missing some pieces

**Author's Note:**

> Listen I love many ATLA pairings but this is the only one I have had a lingering dream about. Their dynamic...it fuels me.

Zuko was thankful for the opportunity to bring about change as the Firelord. Really, he was. He just happened to despise the amount of mundane work that went into running a nation. As a child he had only seen bits and pieces of his father at work, and most of that had been quietly observing as his father discussed with generals and signed decrees ordering the army to take another Earth Kingdom village for their own, which, in retrospect, was not running a kingdom as much as it was an act of imperialistic terror on the villages. When he had actually reached a proper age to sit in on important war councils his father had banished him, leaving most of the years he should have been learning how to run his kingdom to go on a fruitless quest to find the avatar. His uncle had tried to school him the best he could, using the information he had retained from his own days of training under Fire Lord Azulon as reference. Still, he had failed to mention that he would be reading poorly written letters from fire nation citizens asking him to intervene with the pettiest conflicts. 

He groaned as he looked to the side of his desk and saw that the pile of letters and scrolls did not seem to be getting any shorter. Attempting to be both sympathetic and firm in his responses was proving to be harder than the advisors had made it out to be. 

As Zuko signed his name to the bottom of his twenty-eighth response of the day, there came a knock from his door. Zuko looked up from his desk as Suki walked into the room, decked out in her Kyoshi Warrior getup and with Ty Lee at her side. 

“Fire Lord Zuko,” said Suki as she bowed her head slightly. 

“Hi Zuko!” said Ty Lee cheerily. 

Zuko smiled wearily at the pair of them. “Suki, Ty Lee, is there anything I can help you with?”

“No there is not anything urgent that needs attending to,” replied Suki. She brushed her hair out of her face and glanced over at Ty Lee who had decided to avert her gaze from both her and Zuko. 

“If there is nothing that needs attending to then why are you here?” asked Zuko. 

“Hey don’t get all annoyed at us for distracting you from your important Fire Lord business,” said Suki. 

“I’m not annoyed, I’ve just got a lot to do right now.”

“Oh yeah,” Ty Lee drawled as she leaned over and grabbed the letter Zuko was writing. “I’m sure that the merchants of Shu Jing are in dire need of your assistance.”

As much as Zuko appreciated having two of his most skilled friends as his guards, some days he would rather just have them be regular guards who got to the point without poking fun at him. It was hard to be taken seriously when even his guards were the ones undermining his word and authority. Then again, he doubted being in control of an entire nation would be even half as bearable without Suki and Ty Lee at his side. 

“We just wanted to let you know that you’ll be having a visitor within the next hour,” Suki smiled. 

“A visitor?” Zuko asked. He didn’t remember scheduling anything with anyone for this week, why would there be a visitor?

“Oh don’t look all worried,” Ty Lee said. “It’s just that water tribe girl.” 

“Katara?” asked Zuko as Suki turned to Ty Lee and said, “I know you know her name, I’ve been dating her brother for the better part of the decade.”

Ignoring her, Ty Lee nodded at Zuko. “Yeah Katara is dropping in, she apparently mentioned it to her brother who then mentioned it in a letter to the lover girl over here.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me this? I thought Aang was busy with the Earth Kingdom?”

“He is,” Suki sighed. “Aang is still dealing with Ba Sing Se’s conflicts with independent states. And before you get all worked up, both parties have voiced that they don’t want any of the other nations getting involved.” 

“What’s this have to do with them visiting me then?” 

“Well, that’s just the thing. It’s not Aang and Katara visiting, it’s just Katara,” Suki explained. At the puzzled look on Zuko’s face she continued on explaining. “I don’t know the details, just what Sokka wrote me in his letter, but he sent this out the same day that Katara left for here. I have no idea why but based on how Sokka was talking it seemed like she just needed a break from whatever has been going on.”

“And she decided to come here?” Zuko asked. It wasn’t as if Katara’s company wasn’t wanted, he loved spending time with her (and Sokka and Aang and Toph and all his friends). It was just the only time that they had ever really spent hanging out-just the two of them-had taken place with their other friends close by or when she decided to go and confront the man that killed her mother. She had never traveled alone just to visit him of all people. 

“She’s your friend Zuko, why wouldn’t she come and visit here?” Suki asked. 

It was a good question and one that Zuko didn’t have an answer to. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he looked up at the two girls and nodded. “Okay, so Katara is coming here for unknown reasons, is there anything else I should know?”

“Just that she’ll be here later this evening,” Ty Lee said.

“This evening? But it’s only…,” he trailed off as he glanced out the window. Somehow the night had snuck up on him, an occurrence that has slowly become more and more common since getting the hang of the whole Fire Lord business. 

“We may have lied about the urgent matters that you need to attend to,” Suki smirked. “It’s dinner time and your presence is needed at the table. We’re here to escort you.”

“And join you!” Ty Lee exclaimed. “They’re serving fire cakes for dessert and there is no way I am missing out on those.”

Zuko laughed and assured her that they were always welcome to dine with him, after all they were friends. And over these last few years having friends that he could rely on was something that he had grown to appreciate very much. It was why the weird dip in his stomach struck him as odd when Suki and Ty Lee mentioned Katara’s impromptu visit. Friends let friends do simple things like join them for dinner. Friends also let friends do more complicated and spontaneous things like announcing that they were going to drop in with only the smallest of notices.

\--- 

Dinner had been better than usual. He normally dined with a handful of his advisors and any guests that were occupying the grounds at the time, so Suki and Ty Lee’s presence was definitely a welcome one. Over the years he had made it clear to the both of them as well as the other Kyoshi Warriors stationed as his guards that they were always welcome to dinner. Most of the time the girls found themselves preoccupied with other work during that hour. While Ty Lee may have said that the only reason for them joining tonight was for the dessert, which had been rather delicious, Zuko was well aware that the reason they were both able to join him at dinner was because they finally had a free moment. 

The three of them were exiting the dining room when one of the palace messengers bumped into Ty Lee, causing the girl to let out a little “oof” at the surprise impact. 

“Fire Lord Zuko,” the messenger said. “There is a guest in the courtyard waiting for you, I believe she is one of the Southern Water Tribe diplomats.”

“Lead the way,” Zuko said. The messenger boy bowed slightly and turned around, heading back down the same path he had taken to deliver the message. Zuko followed him with Suki and Ty Lee at his side. As they walked Zuko tried his best to push down the weird feeling that had plagued his stomach prior to dinner. He hoped he wasn’t coming down with anything, it would be a shame to get sick before he even got to spend time with Katara. 

At the thought of her name his stomach dipped a little bit further. 

“She’s just out there your majesty,” the messenger said, gesturing towards the lone figure outside the palace gates.

While it may have been some time since he had last seen Katara, there was no way that he could not have recognized her. The outfit she wore was one he had commonly seen worn by other Water Tribe diplomats and she still had her hair styled the way it had been when he had met her all those years ago. From the distance Zuko was even to make out her mother’s necklace resting on her neck. She had not yet noticed him or his entourage so he took these precious seconds to process the fact that she was really here. A thousand questions ran through his mind but before he had a chance to fixate on any one of them he was startled by an excited shout.  
“KATARA!” Suki yelled as she broke off into a run. Katara barely had any time to prepare before Suki flung herself at her friend. From the bit of distance Zuko could hear the murmurs of excited chattering between friends but was unable to make anything out. 

“Come on Zuko,” Ty Lee said. She glanced up at him and gave him a small smile, one of the more genuine ones. “Let’s go see how our favorite waterbending master is doing.” 

“You know,” Zuko said once he and Ty Lee had reached the pair of chattering girls. “It’s not protocol for one of my guards to abandon me on duty for their own personal matters.”

“Well excuse me,” drawled Suki. “I happen to be very excited to see my friend who I have not seen in months.” 

“This could have been an assassination attempt!” 

“One that I am surely capable of handling yourself while I greet Katara.” 

“I could have been in danger.”

“You still could be, I could finally enact my revenge for you burning down my home.”

“I told you I was sorry!”

“Okay you two,” Katara laughed. “I’m glad to know that even after all this time you guys are getting along so well.”

Zuko suddenly remembered that Katara was here and that he was supposed to be welcoming her into his home like the gracious host his uncle had raised him, albeit a little reluctantly, to be. Slowly, he gave a slight bow to his friend.

“Welcome Katara,” he said softly.

“Zuko you know there’s no need for that,” Katara laughed as she shoved his shoulder good naturedly. “I’m your friend not the wife of one of the Fire Nation nobles.”

“Technically you’re a diplomat of the Southern Water Tribe,” explained Zuko. “Which means it’s kind of expected of me to welcome you graciously into my home in a customary fashion.”

“Well then it’s a good thing I’m here to visit a friend and not here for any diplomatic reasons,” Katara smirked. “Come on, it’s been a bit since I’ve seen the palace. Why don’t you show me around?”

She said this last bit with a little bump to his shoulder. He suddenly felt the words that had come so easily to him while bickering with Suki evaporate from his throat, leaving him with nothing but a hollowed breath. What was wrong with him? 

“Actually,” Ty Lee interjected, stepping between the pair. “Zuko was mentioning to me before that he was feeling a bit under the weather, I think it would be a good idea for him to get some rest so that he can spend the day with you tomorrow.”

“Ty Lee-,” said Zuko.

“There’s no need to thank me,” the girl smiled. “I know that you would have suffered through your sickness in order to be a gracious host. I think both of you could do with some shut-eye though, Zuko isn’t feeling well and Katara, you just traveled and must be exhausted.”

“Well now that you mentioned it I am kind of tired,” sighed Katara. 

“Then it’s set!” Ty Lee said with a clap of her hands. “Suki, why don’t you escort Katara to one of the guest rooms while I take our beloved Fire Lord up to his own bedroom.” She grasped Zuko’s arm and pulled him away from the others.

“Ty Lee, are you going to explain what that was about?” Zuko asked as she pulled him back inside the palace. 

“That was me saving you from your own spontaneous combustion, could you be any more obvious?”

“Obvious?” he asked. “Obvious about what?”

Ty Lee came to a sudden halt and looked up at him suspiciously. He observed in confusion as she studied his face before she let out a slight gasp.

“Oh my…,”

“What Ty Lee?” Zuko cried, voice growing more and more exasperated the longer this conversation carried on. 

And almost as quickly as it had dropped open, Ty Lee’s mouth went shut. She shook her head and continued on towards his bedroom. 

“Nothing at all, when you know what I know you will know to come and talk to me.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Zuko groaned. However, it was apparent that Ty Lee no longer wanted to continue the conversation, as she ignored him and started back down the hallway to his chambers. 

When Ty Lee finally left Zuko to his own devices he was surprised to find himself void of any exhaustion. Usually days that were filled with nothing but paperwork caused him to be more tired than usual. Suki said it was because his patience was thin and having to fill out things over and over again without too much complaining took all the energy out of him. Zuko didn’t entirely disagree with her. The absence of the tiredness would usually be a welcome one but tonight all Zuko wanted to do was get some rest before having to get up and not only be the Firelord but also a gracious host to his friend. 

Maybe the anxiety of the next day was what was keeping him awake. As he slid into his bed he tried to clear his mind of any thought of what the day might have in store. “Just don’t think of anything,” he thought to himself before realizing how entirely redundant that was going to be. How could he tell himself to not think of anything? That would just be unrealistic. Of course his mind was going to be racing, it always was. Even when he was exhausted he was constantly thinking of plans and work that had to be done within the coming days. It’s just that typically those thoughts combined with the needed rest were able to lull him to sleep, now they did nothing but keep him tossing and turning. 

After about an hour of pointlessly trying to fall asleep he decided that maybe a short walk around the palace would help him clear his mind. He slowly got up and tied his robe around him before opening the door to the hall. The guards stationed outside jumped slightly, as they were not anticipating any movement from the door they were guarding. Before they could get to asking any questions Zuko shushed them and expressed his intentions. 

“Sir shouldn’t you be escorted around?” the shorter of the two guards asked. 

“No, I would rather you just stay here,” Zuko said. “I need to just clear my head.”

The guards nodded at him and returned to their previous position. Satisfied, Zuko began to walk down the hallway and around his home. He was quite fond of how calm it was during the later hours of the night; rather than being on guard and worried that someone was going to come to him with an urgent message or a request, the palace at night was absent of any of the usual pressures of running a nation. As a child he was always a bit spooked by this, being the son of the Fire Lord meant that there was a constant sense of danger any time things were too quiet. When he would awake in the middle of the night after a bout of restlessness or nightmares he would attempt to find his way to his mother or even Azula in their earlier days. The palace walls were always so thick and daunting and way too quiet for the young prince. Once the fear of intruders or running into his father or grandfather had subsided in his later years, the palace in this state became a comfort for him. At this hour all Zuko had to worry about was not running into any walls as he let his feet guide him around without any intent on reaching a specific destination. It was a type of calm that he rarely got to experience and something that was most certainly welcome on this restless night. 

While he normally trusted his feet to lead him back to his room after a short walk he was surprised to find that tonight would be an exception. Rather than leading him on a quick stroll around the palace, Zuko had somehow managed to walk aimlessly to the guest wing of the palace. This area was reserved for visiting Fire Nation nobility, diplomats, honored guests, and friends of the Fire Lord. Friends like Katara. 

“Great,” he muttered to himself. “I’m supposed to be taking my mind off of her and somehow I end up walking right where she happens to be sleeping like some creep.” 

He turned back around with a slight sigh and started to make his way back down the corridor. However, he came to a sudden halt when he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

“Zuko?” Katara whispered. Despite her hushed tone the quiet of the hall made it seem like she was raising her voice at him. He turned to face her and was met with a face scrunched up in confusion. 

“Oh,” he said, mentally cringing at how awkward he sounded. “Hello Katara.” 

“Zuko what are you doing up?” she asked. She stepped out from the doorway she was leaning against and walked over to him. “Shouldn’t you be asleep right now?”

“I could be asking the same thing,” he said.

She gave him a withering glance and crossed her arms. Once, such a response would have caused her to argue with him, now she did nothing but sigh before giving him a slight hum of agreement. A lot had changed over the years, for better and for worse. 

Feeling the weight of the silence between them, Zuko elected to open his mouth. “So,” he asked. “How are you liking your stay here?”

“It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve been here,” she laughed. 

“I know that,” he said. “But I don’t think you’ve ever come here without someone else.” 

“You mean Aang?” she asked. She had tensed a bit at his name and Zuko made sure to take note of that. One of the things that had changed for the better was his attention to social cues that had once evaded him. Now he knew better to steer clear of certain topics unless they were of dire importance, and right now he didn’t think it would be a good time to inquire Katara about whatever was happening between her and Aang. 

“Or Sokka or Toph,” he added. “Or really anyone that we aren’t also friends with. I think you’re the only one who has yet to come and visit me.”

“Toph visits? By herself?” 

“She really gets a kick out of the Ember Island plays. She seems to thrive on their inaccuracies.”

“I didn’t realize,” said Katara. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to not visit. I’m just so busy all the time and then when I’m not busy I like being home or,” she shook her head.

“Hey,” said Zuko gently. He placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her a small smile. “It’s okay, I know it’s not personal. I’m just glad that you’re here now.”

A moment passed and then all of a sudden Zuko had to brace himself as Katara nearly knocked him over. After his momentary confusion he realized that she had wrapped her arms around him and was embracing him in a tight hug. He cautiously wrapped his own arms around her, steadying the waterbender before she caused the both of them to fall over. 

“Thanks Zuko,” she said softly into his chest. “That really means a lot.”

“Uh,” he said dumbly. “No problem?” 

She laughed and Zuko could feel her shoulders shaking slightly. She removed herself from him and gave him a shy smile. “Well,” she said. “I guess I’ll let you get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” he said. 

“Well then I guess I’ll be off. Goodnight Zuko.”

She gave him a small wave and made her way back to the room she was staying in. He watched her for a moment before quickly walking towards her. She was in the doorway and looked at him puzzled. 

“Sorry,” he said. “Just….sleep well.” 

“Yeah,” she said. “You too.” She closed the door and Zuko stood in front of it for a moment before putting his face into his hands, mentally berating himself for being so awkward. He thought he had outgrown this but apparently he still had a lot of work to do in the ‘Thinking Before Doing’ category. Pushing his embarrassment aside he began to walk back towards his room, making sure to actually guide his feet this time around so he did not end up anywhere else that he had no conscious intention of going to. 

When he crawled back down into his bed, finally feeling that familiar sense of weariness that came after a long day of work, he was able to close his eyes and fall asleep. If the last thought he had before drifting off was of the smell of Katara’s hair underneath his nose when they had hugged, well then nobody else needed to know.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a tumblr @firesidebi


End file.
